


Countdown

by arimi_skywalker



Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Canon, Drama & Romance, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-09
Updated: 2013-12-14
Packaged: 2017-12-31 23:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arimi_skywalker/pseuds/arimi_skywalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jun thought he had time to decide what to do with his feelings for Aiba-chan, but something unexpected happens...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Deadline

**Author's Note:**

  * For [smileyjun](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=smileyjun).



__**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to my dear [](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/profile)[**furokugal**](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/) for checking and correcting this text for me. I suck at expressing myself in english ^^;;

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

He was too precious.  
  
When he walked into the room, always showing his bright smile, he lit up our world. All of us turned to greet him, and instantly our lives were a little brighter, just because his smile was there, cheering us up, warming our hearts. I wonder if he was aware of the effect he had on people, especially the four of us. Or maybe it was just on me.  
  
" _Ohayou_!!", he beamed that morning.  
  
" _Ohayou_ ", Nino replied in a neutral tone, absorbed in his game.  
  
He had his head resting on Ohno's lap, who was dozing off on the couch, stroking Nino's hair, so he only mumbled something close to a greeting.  
  
I pretended I was busy memorizing the script for my new movie.  
  
"Good morning, Aiba-chan", Sho crooned, with a wide smile as he folded his newspaper and stood up from his chair. "Would you like some coffee?"  
  
"I'm fine, Sho-chan. I had a cup of cocoa at home"  
  
"I was thinking about getting one for myself, so it's no problem"  
  
"Oh, well then, bring me an orange juice, if you could, please"  
  
Sho showed a foolish smile as he nodded.  
  
"Sure thing", he said.  
  
"I want some tea, _Ikemen_ -san", Nino said, behind his Nintendo DS.  
  
"Don't call me that", Sho protested. "And who said I would bring back anything for you?"  
  
"Should I flash you a smile then? Just like Aiba-chan?"  
  
Nino looked up from his game just for a second to show Sho the smirk on his face. I couldn't help chuckling to myself as I shook my head, pretending that I was still reading the script in my hands. Sho clicked his tongue and rushed out of the room. Knowing him, I bet his cheeks were as red as tomatoes.  
  
"What are you reading, Jun?", Aiba-chan cheerfully approached me.  
  
I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat.  
  
"It's just a script"  
  
"A script?", he asked, checking the papers in my hands. "Ah, for your new movie! It sounds wonderful~ I wish I was as good an actor as you!"  
  
A proud smile appeared on my lips, but I turned away slightly to hide it.  
  
"I just try to do my job to the best of my ability", I replied.  
  
The door of the room opened just then, and one of the staff members popped inside, holding onto a clipboard with some papers and a pen. He was a middle-aged man, wearing an earpiece, and was writing things down on his papers as he spoke.  
  
"P•A•R•A•D•O•X scenes, numbers seven, twelve, and fifteen. Ninomiya-san, Aiba-san and Ohno-san, please get ready. Shooting starts in twenty minutes", he announced.  
  
"Understood", Nino said, but continued playing his game.  
  
When the staff member bowed and left, Ohno reached out and randomly hit some buttons on Nino's DS. Nino moved it away and complained, saying he was about to clear a level he'd been trying to beat for hours. Ohno chuckled and hit some buttons again, causing a snort from Nino, who put his game down and looked up at him.  
  
"When did you become so mean, _Riida_?", he said.  
  
"We have work to do", Ohno chuckled. "It's no time to be playing games"  
  
"I was about to clear the level!"  
  
"Was it the final level?"  
  
"I only bought this game two days ago, so of course it wasn't", Nino protested, but then he grinned proudly. "I'm already at level thirty-three though"  
  
"Which means you wouldn't stop playing, even if you cleared the level"  
  
"Probably not"  
  
"See? It was necessary that I thwarted your plans"  
  
"Oh, mom! What would I do without you?"  
  
Ohno playfully slapped the side of Nino's thigh.  
  
"Come on, we need to get dressed"  
  
"I'm dying to see you in that suit", Nino smirked.  
  
Nino jumped up from the couch and grabbed both his outfit and Ohno's, which were hanging together with Aiba-chan's, Sho's, and mine. Aiba-chan followed after Nino, excited to check out his outfit, but he pouted the moment he saw it.  
  
"Why don't I get a tie?", he complained.  
  
"Because you aren't as cool as us, Aiba-chan", Nino teased him.  
  
"But I want a tie too!"  
  
Ohno chuckled.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll lend you mine to play around with when we aren't shooting", Nino said, handing Ohno his outfit.  
  
"Really?!", Aiba-chan exclaimed.  
  
Nino nodded. Aiba-chan's smile widened.  
  
"You guys are so noisy", Sho entered the room, with three drinks in his hands. "I could hear you all the way down the hall"  
  
"Yeah, it's impossible to study in here", I said.  
  
"Sorry, Jun", Aiba-chan apologized, then approached Sho and spoke in a low voice. "Guess what, Nino is going to lend me his tie"  
  
Sho chuckled. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Is that a good thing?"  
  
"Of course it is! Look at how cool they are!"  
  
Aiba-chan pointed to Ohno and Nino, who were taking off their clothes. Nino was unbuttoning Ohno's shirt while Ohno looked over the shirt he'd be wearing for the video in his hand. Their ties were lying on the couch.  
  
"You shouldn't complain, Aiba-chan", Nino commented offhandedly, as he opened Ohno's shirt with a smirk and took it off. "You're with the cool guys today"  
  
Aiba-chan blinked as Nino took the shirt from Ohno's hand and helped him put it on.  
  
"But I'm not cool", Aiba-chan pouted.  
  
"J and Mr. _Ikemen_ don't have ties either", Nino shrugged. "Which means you're on the cool team today"  
  
Aiba-chan gasped.  
  
"That's true!", he exclaimed with a smile, and looked at Sho. "So I get to be like Sho-chan!"  
  
Sho chuckled for the umpteenth time that morning.  
  
"Here", he said, offering the orange juice to Aiba-chan. "It'll give you some energy during the shoot"  
  
Aiba-chan took it and smiled.  
  
" _Arigatou ne_!"  
  
I raised an eyebrow.  
  
Aiba-chan seemed happy to be like Sho for a day, but not like me. I wonder if he even remembered that I was still there, since he didn't bother to look at me, much less mention me. I shifted awkwardly in my chair as I watched him happily walking away with his juice. He placed his outfit on the couch, unaware of my eyes on him, and held his bottle over it, ready to open it. I could foresee the impending disaster, so I quickly got up and took it away from him before he spilled the liquid all over his outfit.  
  
"You should get dressed", I said. "You still need to have your make-up done"  
  
"But I was about to drink my juice", he protested.  
  
"Later", I pointed to his outfit. "When you're done with that"  
  
Aiba-chan pouted again, but started taking off his clothes.  
  
I smiled to myself, thinking that he was the cutest being on earth, but then he took off his shirt and all my pure thoughts disappeared at once. I found myself thinking about how much I wanted to run my fingers down his back, making him shiver under my touch, kissing every inch of that birthmark on his shoulder. I watched him intently, licking my lips as he slipped out of his pants, dying to walk over to him and remove his underwear myself. He turned around to set his clothes on the chair behind him, so I had to look away quickly, acting like I wasn't paying attention to him, only to find a pair of accusing eyes staring back at me.  
  
Sho was staring at me, judging me with a cruel look in his eye.  
  
I stared back at him for a moment, wondering just how long had he been watching me, and if he had seen me licking my lips at the sight of Aiba-chan's practically naked body. I ended up looking away though, because the more I thought about it, the more embarrassed I felt. He had most likely seen all of it, and would probably ask for an explanation when we were alone, which made me anxious because I knew I couldn't fool him.  
  
"Can I have my juice now?", Aiba-chan's voice brought me back to reality.  
  
He was standing right in front of me, already changed into his outfit, showing me a wide smile. And all I could think about was taking hold of those black and white lapels, pulling him to me for a kiss, and then pushing him back on the couch, straddling his hips and pinning his arms over his head.  
  
"Jun?"  
  
I blinked.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"My juice", he chuckled and pointed to the bottle in my hand.  
  
"Sure", I said, handing him the juice. "Just be careful, OK? It would be a mess if you stained that outfit. Remember, we have a tight schedule"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"I'll be careful"  
  
I went back to my chair, where my script was waiting for me, and tried to ignore Sho, who had followed me with his eyes and was still staring me. He made me feel awkward, and I couldn't really focus on my lines, but I pretended to be busy memorizing them. The sound of Ohno giggling was the perfect excuse to look up, and distract myself from the feeling of discomfort Sho was causing me.  
  
"Stop it!", Ohno said, covering his crotch with his hands.  
  
Nino had been patting his pants, saying they had some white lint stuck to them, but it seemed as though he had taken special effort to get the lint off the front part.  
  
"I was only trying to help you", Nino smirked and turned to Sho. "Where's my tea?"  
  
Sho pointed to the table in front of the couch.  
  
"I left it over there"  
  
Nino grabbed his bottle, opened it and took a sip just as a staff member entered the room to escort the three of them to make-up. This time, it was a young girl without an earpiece or any papers in hand, but she took a quick glance at Sho and flashed him a shy smile before she left with our three friends.  
  
"Was it me or was she flirting with you?", I chuckled once she had closed the door.  
  
Sho shrugged.  
  
"Maybe she'll escort you to the make-up room as well", I laughed.  
  
Sho sighed.  
  
"I see the way you look at Aiba", he said.  
  
I stopped laughing and looked at him.  
  
His expression was serious, and he was staring at me again. I raised an eyebrow as I watched how he slowly walked toward me, then stood right in front of me, looking down at me as he crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"Five days", he said.  
  
"What?", I frowned.  
  
"Five days or he's mine"  
  
I snorted.  
  
"He's an adult, you know. He can choose who he wants to be with. Besides, who are you to set a deadline for anything?"  
  
"I have an interest in him as well, but didn't make a move until now because, as I said, I noticed how you look at him. I respected your turn up to this point and waited for you to make your move, however, it doesn't seem like you plan on confessing anytime soon, and I'm not willing to sit and wait around forever", Sho stated. "I'll give you five days. If you can't persuade him within that amount of time, you have to give up on him"  
  
"Wait just a second", I stood up. "Who said that I accept this? It's ridiculous! I can't force my feelings on him. We've been friends since we were young, and..."  
  
"Five days", he interrupted. "Or Aiba is mine"  
  
"And how exactly are you going to make him yours?"  
  
Sho turned around and walked to the door.  
  
"Sho! I'm talking to you! What makes you think Aiba is going to accept? He isn't a toy, he's a human being. You can't just make him fall in love with you", I said. "Sho!"  
  
He reached the door and only turned to take a quick glance at me.  
  
"Five days", he repeated before walking off.  
  
"Sho! Wait!", I called out.  
  
But Sho had already closed the door behind him  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
I slammed my script down on the table.  
  
I had no idea what Sho was planning to do, but I knew he was serious. I thought I'd have my whole life to think about what to do with my feelings for Aiba-chan, and how to express them to him in the best way possible, but now Sho said he was interested in him too, and wasn't willing to wait any longer. It was crazy. It was ridiculous. It was insane.  
  
I needed to think of a strategy.  
  
And fast.


	2. Day One

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to my dear [](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/profile)[**furokugal**](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/) for checking and correcting this text for me. I suck at expressing myself in english ^^;;

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

I didn't get much sleep that night.  
  
I spent several hours lying in my bed, trying to think of what to do or how to handle the situation. Sho had given me five days. On one hand, it wasn't enough. I needed more time to express my feelings properly, and reach Aiba-chan's heart. But on the other hand, it was more than fair. Sho and I were both interested in the same guy, and he had been generous enough to give me five more days before he made his move. I wondered just how long he had been hiding his feelings.  
  
At four in the morning, I couldn't stand being awake in bed any longer, so I decided to get up and make some tea since my stomach had started to bother me. I guess it was from the nerves and anxiety I had. I sat at the desk in my office, the same one I use when I'm planning concerts for the group, and set my cup of tea there, watching how the steam disappeared in the air while the wheels in my head were turning like crazy. I had to find the way to win Aiba-chan over, but how? We had been friends forever, it would be awkward if I suddenly confessed to him. My common sense told me to woo him little by little, but I didn't have that kind of time. I needed to come up with a five day plan that was quick and effective, while at the same time wouldn't scare Aiba-chan away.  
  
I grabbed a notepad, a pen, and began writing it down.  
  
I don't even know if it could be called an actual plan. I just thought about all the steps I figured I'd need to take, wrote them down, and organized them by days. Then I wrote them on five separate sticky notes, and stuck them on a small white board I normally used to plan projects. I didn't know if my idea would work, but I'm the type of person who has to plan out everything in life, so I had to try.  
  
I finally ended up falling asleep around five in the morning. I woke up at seven because I had to finish shooting the promotional video for our latest single, but surprisingly I wasn't in a bad mood, which would be the usual thing on any other day I didn't get enough sleep. I was full of energy, and I was willing to give it my all and do my best to stop Sho from getting Aiba-chan. I would fight and work hard to win his heart until the very last minute of the fifth day, and I would start that day with the first and most basic step: catch his attention and attract him to me.  
  
That morning, I had put on one of my best outfits and decided to kill some time in a café nearby the studio. I didn't have to shoot until ten, and I knew Aiba-chan was always the last one to arrive, so I wanted to arrive later than him. Around nine o'clock, Nino rang my cellphone.  
  
" _Yo_ , Nino", I answered.  
  
"You're alive?", he asked.  
  
"I'm talking to you, aren't I?"  
  
"I guess you're alive then"  
  
"Yes, I am", I chuckled.  
  
"Where are you? We've been waiting for you for almost an hour now"  
  
"Nino, I've known you for how long? Around twenty years now? I know you're lying"  
  
I could see Nino's smirk in my head.  
  
"No, seriously", he said. "You always arrive first. What happened?"  
  
"I had something to do, but I'll be there shortly. Is everyone there already?"  
  
"Yup! Everyone's here"  
  
I smiled.  
  
"Okay! See you in a few minutes"  
  
" _Ja_ "  
  
I finished my coffee and headed to the studio.  
  
I stopped at the door of our dressing room, fixed my clothes, and put on my best smile, ready to dazzle everyone inside, especially Aiba-chan, but someone poked my shoulder just as I was about to open the door, startling me.  
  
"Jun-kun~ _Ohayou_!"  
  
Aiba-chan blessed me with his beautiful smile.  
  
I soon found myself smiling as well.  
  
" _Ohayou_ ", I replied.  
  
"I arrived earlier than you today! That's so strange. I was shocked, you know"  
  
"I had some stuff to take care of before shooting my scenes this morning"  
  
"Oh, I see", he said, wiping at the sweat on his forehead with the towel in his hand. "I just shot my scene with Sho-chan"  
  
"Really?", I raised an eyebrow.  
  
Aiba-chan nodded.  
  
"He looks so good in his outfit! Sho-chan is pretty handsome, isn't he?"  
  
I leaned on the door, trying to look cool.  
  
"You don't look half bad yourself", I replied as I subtly opened my shirt a little.  
  
I pretended I was fixing my clothes, so he didn't find my action strange.  
  
"Really?! You think so?", he looked at himself.  
  
I reached out to touch the lapel of his jacket.  
  
"Yeah, I think so", I looked up and stared at him, still holding his lapel. "This outfit looks very nice on you"  
  
Aiba-chan's smile widened, but the door behind me opened at that moment, and I lost my balance. I had to quickly let go of Aiba-chan's jacket and grab onto the doorframe in order not to fall, and my heart started racing inside my chest from to the scare.  
  
"Oh, so you guys were out here ", said Nino, looking at me with a smirk on his face.  
  
Aiba-chan chuckled at the scene, but I cleared my throat and straightened myself.  
  
"I did that on purpose", I said. "I was trying to be funny"  
  
"Since when are you a comedian?", Nino scoffed. "Why don't you come in guys? I'm bored"  
  
"Isn't Oh-chan in there with you?", Aiba-chan asked.  
  
"Yeah, but he fell asleep, and I've been stuck on the same damn level for hours now"  
  
"Oh, I see~", said Aiba-chan. "I need to get some water first, but I'll be back shortly to keep you company"  
  
"Nice", Nino grinned and looked at me. "What about you, J?"  
  
I snorted and entered the room without replying.  
  
Nino knew very well what he had done. Most likely, he had been bored sitting in the room, then heard our voices at the door, and decided to interrupt us just to amuse himself. I would even dare to say that he suspected I was leaning on the door, and tried to make me fall on purpose. I had been so close to get a new approach in my relationship with Aiba-chan, but he had to go and spoil it.  
  
I took my outfit from the hanger and started taking off my clothes, annoyed with Nino and the situation in general. He sat at the table and grabbed a pen he found there. I could feel his eyes on me as he twirled the pen between his fingers, but I didn't feel like talking to him at the moment, so I just ignored he was there.  
  
"You're too obvious if you try that hard", he said.  
  
I turned to look at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm talking about Aiba-chan"  
  
I raised an eyebrow and went back to my clothes.  
  
"What about him?", I asked offhandedly.  
  
"I opened the door because I could hear you"  
  
"Yeah, I know. You were just trying to amuse yourself by acting like a brat"  
  
Nino clicked his tongue.  
  
"Can you stop acting like a chump? I just saved your ass"  
  
I turned to stare at him.  
  
"Oh, so I should thank you?"  
  
"Yeah, you should thank me. You were about to mess things up, big time"  
  
"What are you talking about?", I frowned.  
  
"You were forcing the situation, J. It wasn't the time or the place to flirt with Aiba-chan so openly. Do you want to scare him or make things awkward between us?"  
  
I blinked.  
  
"I noticed how you look at him", he continued. "I also noticed the way Sho-chan looks at him, and I think you noticed it too. That's why you feel pressured to try and rush things. You're afraid that Sho might steal Aiba-chan from you"  
  
Nino was always too damn smart.  
  
I looked down at the pants in my hands and squeezed them.  
  
"I can't let him win", I said. "Aiba-chan is..."  
  
"Your most precious treasure"  
  
I looked over at him, my eyes wide.  
  
"Well, that's what your eyes always say", he shrugged.  
  
A staff member opened the door at that moment, so I cleared my throat and looked away, pulling my pants on.  
  
"P•A•R•A•D•O•X scene number two. Matsumoto-san, we need you in make-up as soon as possible. Aiba-san and Sakurai-san are already on stage", he said with a bow.  
  
"Thank you", I bowed back.  
  
When the staff member left, I looked back at Nino.  
  
"I have to leave", I said.  
  
"Just be yourself", he replied. "You're already cool enough"  
  
I nodded as a little smile formed on my lips.  
  
After twenty minutes, some make-up and a bit of hairstyling, I reached the stage where I greeted the staff and my two bandmates. Sho looked at me intently, watching me, but I felt rather self-confident thanks to Nino's words, the cool outfit I was wearing, my make-up and my hairstyle, so I just flashed him a flirty smile, which made him chuckle and shake his head.  
  
We shot the scene several times, from different angles, together, separate, close-ups, and dance shots. When we finished, all three of us were sweaty and craving some refreshing water. A staff member brought towels and bottles of water for everyone, so I grabbed one as I held my towel against my neck and took a long sip.  
  
" _Otsukaresama_ ~", Aiba-chan crooned.  
  
I looked at him and smiled.  
  
" _Otsukaresama_ ", I replied.  
  
"You're glowing, Jun"  
  
"It must be the sweat", I chuckled.  
  
"No, I'm talking about the expression on your face", he smiled.  
  
"Oh, well, I feel accomplished", I said, motioning to the stage where we had just shot. "This video has a really good vibe to it"  
  
"I think so too. I like the song, and these outfits. We all look good in them"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"You were especially cool, Jun", he said.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"Just now"  
  
"Really?", I could feel my cheeks turning pink. "I was just doing my job"  
  
"You were so natural. I'm jealous, you know. You're so cool without even trying"  
  
A proud grin appeared on my lips.  
  
"Thank you"  
  
"I wish I were half as cool and handsome as you"  
  
"Everyone has their strong points"  
  
"Even me?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
Aiba-chan smiled.  
  
"Thank you. You're always very kind"  
  
"We're friends"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"I'm grateful to have met you, Jun"  
  
I blinked.  
  
"What's that about?", I chuckled. "So sudden"  
  
"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you"  
  
I looked at him in silence for a moment.  
  
"You're here because you deserve to be"  
  
"And because I have the best of friends"  
  
I shook my head and laughed.  
  
"You win", I said.  
  
Aiba-chan smiled again, and I knew more than ever that I would never get tired of that smile. The more he showed it, the more I wanted to see it, and the more I wanted it all to myself. I had become addicted to that smile over the years, and now I knew I couldn't live without it.  
  
That day, I decided to follow Nino's advice of not forcing the situation. After all, I had made some progress that morning when I had least expected it, when I was just being myself. I would've liked to have achieved more, and I felt that maybe I could've worked harder, but I was satisfied with the results at the end of the day, when Aiba-chan flashed me a smile and a shy glance before leaving the studio.  
  
"You've got four days left"  
  
Sho was taking his jacket as he spoke, interrupting my thoughts.  
  
I frowned.  
  
"I know. You don't have to remind me"  
  
"I was just making sure you didn't think I would give you more time"  
  
"I didn't, don't worry"  
  
"Okay. See you tomorrow then", he bowed. " _Otsukaresama deshita_ "  
  
" _Otsukaresama_ ", I bowed back.  
  
He had to ruin my day by reminding me I was trapped in his countdown.  
  
Thoughts began to race through my head, and the anxiety was back in my chest again. I didn't want to lose to Sho. I didn't want to have to give up Aiba-chan, but I felt like I didn't have enough time. If I tried to rush things along, everything would end up a huge mess, but if I took things too slowly, I'd run out of time.  
  
I sighed and looked at the door Sho had just left through.  
  
It was time to move onto the second phase of my plan.


	3. Day Two

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to my dear [](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/profile)[**furokugal**](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/) for checking and correcting this text for me. I suck at expressing myself in english ^^;;

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

I stared at the five sticky notes on my white board.  
  
I took a sip from the coffee cup in my hand, and grabbed a marker to cross out what was written on the first one. Normally, I would've taken much longer to woo someone. One day just wasn't enough, especially since I had screwed up, but I had to move on or all my chances would be gone.  
  
I sighed as I tried to think of how to make my next move. The second sticky note said I was supposed to hug him, but I wasn't good with stuff like that. I always felt awkward being touchy-feely with other people, and I didn't much like being touched myself. I wanted to touch Aiba-chan, of course, but it would be weird if I did it when the others were around, so I was unsure about what to do since we never met alone.  
  
I went into the kitchen, placed my empty cup in the sink, and looked out the window.  
  
It was rainy and gloomy, the kind of day I hate because it makes me feel down and depressed, and the very last thing I needed at that moment was to feel that way. I already felt lousy enough knowing I had a deadline to woo the person I loved. I didn't need nature taking Sho's side and making me feel even worse.  
  
That day, we had a photoshoot for a magazine, but since Ohno, Sho, and Nino had a couple of short interviews that morning, the agency decided to have Aiba-chan and me take our solo shots in the meantime. My manager picked me up at around eight, and we were at the studio a half an hour later. Aiba-chan hadn't arrived by the time I was ready for my shots, so the staff decided they would work with me while they waited for him to arrive.  
  
My hair didn't want to cooperate and kept falling the wrong way, so we had to stop several times so the hairstylists could fix it. After so many years in the business, I knew that wasting time meant losing money, so I apologized to the crew every time we had to stop. By the time we had finished my shots, I was angry and frustrated with myself, and thought the day couldn't possibly get any worse. I walked to the dressing room and plopped down in a chair with a sigh, clicking my tongue at my own frustration. I pulled out my cell phone to browse through a couple of fashion sites that always helped me feel a little better, and I noticed there was a message from Nino.  
  
  
 _"Just met up with Oh-chan.  
  
We stopped at this famous gyoza place to buy lunch. Want anything?  
  
Nino"_  
  
  
I decided to call him instead of replying.  
  
"Hey, Jun!", he greeted me.  
  
"Hi there"  
  
"I know you can't live without me, but don't call me so often. I need a break!"  
  
"This is no time for jokes"  
  
"Are you that hungry?"  
  
"It's raining. I hate rainy days, my hair wouldn't cooperate with me, and I'm running out of time to win over Aiba-chan, and..."  
  
" _Oi_!", he interrupted me. "Would you quit being so damn negative? Come on, you're Matsumoto Jun. Half the country wants to marry you, and the other half wants to be you. Why do you keep underestimating yourself? It's rude!"  
  
"It's all because of this situation with Aiba-chan", I sighed. "I feel like I'm going to die if I have to give him up"  
  
"You won't have to give him up. Stop overthinking everything"  
  
I could see Nino rolling his eyes on the other end of the line.  
  
"I can't help it", I replied.  
  
"He's there with you now, right?", he said. "Can you explain to me why you're wasting your time on the phone instead of making the most of the current situation?"  
  
"He isn't here. He hasn't arrived yet"  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
I checked my watch.  
  
"It's past ten"  
  
"It isn't like him to be so late"  
  
I realized that Nino was right.  
  
"I'm going to ask a staff member", I said, already getting up and walking to the door.  
  
"I'll try his cellphone. Talk to you later"  
  
"Bye"  
  
I hung up and kept my cellphone in my hand as I looked for someone.  
  
How did I not realize it sooner? I was so lost in my thoughts and so absorbed by my own feelings that I had forgotten the most important thing to me. The reason behind my mood and my whole existence. The only one who could make the rain and sadness disappear with just a smile.  
  
" _Sumimasen_ ", I said when I had finally found a staff member. "Do you know if Aiba Masaki-san has arrived yet?"  
  
"Wait just a moment please"  
  
The young man contacted someone through his headset and asked about Aiba-chan. As he waited for a reply, I was growing impatient. I knew I couldn't do anything but wait, but my nerves were eating at me. If Aiba-chan hadn't arrived, it would be a bad sign. He wasn't usually the first one to arrive, but he had never missed work before.  
  
"Sorry", the staff member said. "It looks like Aiba-san isn't here yet"  
  
"Has anyone called him? He should've been here two hours ago"  
  
"We've been trying to contact his manager and the agency, but they couldn't give us an answer"  
  
"They couldn't give you an answer?", I raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"  
  
"I'm really sorry, but I don't have any more information", he bowed deeply.  
  
I sighed in frustration, but I knew it wasn't his fault.  
  
"It's okay. Thank you"  
  
I hurried down the hall to the studio where I had my shots taken minutes earlier, and looked for my manager, who was busy talking to the photographer and the person in charge of the photoshoot. Normally, I would've waited for him to finish his conversation, but I couldn't wait at that moment.  
  
"Aiba-chan isn't here", I abruptly interrupted him.  
  
"What?", he frowned.  
  
"He should've been here early this morning, but he wasn't, and it seems like no one can get a hold of him. They tried his manager and the agency, but no one has any answers"  
  
"Jun-kun, calm down", he said. "Did you try his cellphone?"  
  
"Nino said he would try, but I didn't get his..."  
  
My cell phone rang in my hand and I answered it right away.  
  
"Nino?"  
  
"He's not answering", my friend said.  
  
"OK. I'm calling the police. Bye"  
  
I hung up before he could reply and started dialing the number for the police.  
  
"Are you sure he isn't sick and at home?", my manager asked.  
  
He took my cellphone from me when he saw I wasn't paying attention to him.  
  
"Hey! I have to call the police", I protested.  
  
"Did anyone call his house, Jun?", he insisted.  
  
"Aiba-chan never stays at home when he's sick. He always comes to work, even when he has a fever"  
  
"We should wait a little longer. Maybe he'll show up soon"  
  
"I know something happened to him!"  
  
"You need to calm down. You're letting your nerves speak for you"  
  
"I don't want to calm down! I want to know what happened to my friend, so give me back my cellphone"  
  
I tried to grab the phone, but he moved it away from me.  
  
"I'm serious, you need to calm down", he slowly repeated. "Go to the dressing room, I'll have some tea sent to you and I'll try to locate Aiba-kun"  
  
"But I...", I tried to protest.  
  
"Leave it to me", he interrupted me. "Go to the dressing room"  
  
I stared daggers at him, but I knew there was nothing I could do.  
  
"Fine", I said.  
  
I clenched my fists and turned around, filled with helplessness.  
  
I knew something had happened, and I couldn't help imagining the worst. Aiba-chan always tried to avoid causing trouble for other people, to the point that he would sacrifice his own happiness or even his health. It wasn't like him to disappear without even a phone call, and the thought was driving me crazy. If something had happened to Aiba-chan, I... I...  
  
"I'm deeply sorry for being so late"  
  
That voice.  
  
I stopped and immediately turned back around.  
  
Aiba-chan was standing there, deeply bowing to the magazine staff members, one of his arms covering his chest. He was soaked, and little drops were streaming down his bangs, nose, and chin. I blinked and quickly retraced my previous steps to approach him.  
  
"Aiba-chan!", I called out. "You had all of us worried"  
  
He straightened to look at me.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Jun", he said, opening his jacket. "I was nearby the studio this morning, so I decided I'd walk here, but I found this little guy on my way and couldn't just leave him all alone"  
  
A little puppy stuck his nose out of my friend's clothes.  
  
My eyes widened in disbelief.  
  
"You're this late... because of that?"  
  
"It isn't his fault. It was raining, and he was abandoned in a box in the park. When I picked him up, it started pouring, so I needed to look for some shelter", he looked down at the puppy. "I don't mind getting soaked, but he could've died"  
  
I wanted to get mad at him for worrying us like that, but I couldn't. If it were anyone else, even one of the other members, I would be yelling at them, but I couldn't yell at Aiba-chan. Not when he was being so adorable.  
  
I sighed.  
  
"Let's warm up that little guy before he catches a cold"  
  
A wide smile appeared on Aiba-chan's face as he nodded eagerly.  
  
"He'll need water and probably some food too", he said, as we started to walk down the hall that led to our dressing room.  
  
"I think we can take care of that", I nodded.  
  
"Thank you, Jun"  
  
I opened the door to the dressing room and looked for a hairdryer for Aiba-chan and some towels for the puppy, but Aiba-chan used the hairdryer on the puppy instead. Once it was dry, he used the towels to make something similar to a bed on the seat of the couch, so he could place his new friend there.  
  
"You'll be fine now, Shiro-kun", he said, stroking the puppy.  
  
The puppy was dry and happily curled up on the couch, but Aiba-chan was crouched in front of it, with his back toward me, still wearing his rain-soaked clothes. I noticed he was shivering, so I looked around for more towels and approached him, placing one of them on his wet hair.  
  
He looked up at me with a surprised face.  
  
"It's nice that the puppy is safe and sound", I said. "But I don't want you catching a cold either"  
  
"I'm fine", he smiled. "I'm an adult. He's just a little baby"  
  
"Sometimes I have to wonder about that..."  
  
I smiled despite my words, and helped him get rid of his wet clothes. His skin was as cold as ice and he was still shaking, so I walked out of the room, taking the chance to let Nino know that Aiba-chan was fine, and came back with a bath robe, which I wrapped around him. It wasn't my intention to keep my arms around him longer than necessary, but he was shivering so much, and it felt so nice having his body so close to mine that I could only close my eyes as I tightened my embrace.  
  
"You're an idiot...", I said.  
  
" _Gomen ne_ "  
  
"Getting soaked like this, all because of a puppy"  
  
"I couldn't leave him there. He would've died"  
  
"I know. But you're still an idiot"  
  
He chuckled.  
  
"What are you going to do with it?", I asked, almost in a whisper.  
  
"I'm going to keep him", he said. "Shiro and I have been waiting together in the rain for more than two hours. We have a strong bond now"  
  
"I see"  
  
Aiba-chan placed his hands on my arms, still wrapped around his body, and gently caressed me in silence.  
  
"Jun", he said, minutes later. "Thanks for taking care of us"  
  
I smiled and tightened my grip around him as my reply.  
  
I wished we could stay just like that forever.


	4. Day Three

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to my dear [](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/profile)[**furokugal**](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/) for checking and correcting this text for me. I suck at expressing myself in english ^^;;

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

Aiba-chan's phone number was glowing on my screen.  
  
I had been staring at my cell phone for almost an hour, trying to gather up the courage to call him. The third sticky note said my next step was to date him, but meeting alone wasn't something we usually did. In our more than fifteen years of friendship, Aiba-chan and I had met without the rest of members less than ten times, which meant less than once per year, and I never had to ask him out before. It just happened that the two of us were planning to go to the same place, so we ended up going together.  
  
After he found the puppy that day, I had a perfect excuse. His new little friend would need the usual things that all dogs need, and I knew both of us had the next day free, so I wanted to take him to the new pet shop in my neighborhood and then take the opportunity to treat him to dinner at a fancy restaurant, but Aiba-chan knew me too well. He'd know it wasn't like me to spend my free afternoon at a pet shop.  
  
I browsed through the pet shop's site for a while, looking at different water and food bowls, toys, beds, and even clothes as I tried to think of a way to invite him out without being totally obvious, but then I found something that amused me. They had all kinds of outfits for dogs, but there was a particular one that looked like a _kigurumi_ for pets and I thought it would be funny dressing the little puppy up in it.  
  
I saved the picture and sent it Aiba-chan.  
  
  
 _"Yo!  
  
I thought Shiro-kun might like this   
  
"_  
  
  
His reply came right away.  
  
  
 _"Where did you find this?!  
  
Shiro-kun loves it!"_  
  
  
I couldn't help a foolish smile.  
  
  
 _"Is it Shiro-kun that likes it or you?  
  
You can buy it at the pet shop in my neighborhood.  
  
Want to go tomorrow?"_  
  
  
My heart was racing.  
  
I had done it. I had invited him out.  
  
  
 _"Really?! In your neighborhood?!  
  
I would love to check it out! Shiro needs a bed and stuff.  
  
He's small right now, so I don't mind sleeping with him, but it will become a problem when he grows up. And puppies tend to grow up fast! "_  
  
  
He had accepted.  
  
I couldn't believe it.  
  
I sent him another e-mail, and he confirmed our meeting for the next day. In the end, it had been much easier than I'd thought it would be. I still couldn't believe my luck. I had sent him the picture because I thought it was funny, I never thought it would lead to a date with him, much less in such an easy way. Just a couple of e-mails and it was done.  
  
Nino was right.  
  
I shouldn't underestimate myself.  
  
I couldn't sleep at all that night. I had had around ten hours of sleep in total the last three nights, but I didn't mind. Aiba-chan had said I was cool, then I was able to hug him, and now we had a date. I had the chance to meet with him, without the rest of the guys, and that was the only important thing to me.  
  
We had arranged to meet in front of the _konbini_ near my building after lunch, but I couldn't stay at home because my nerves were eating me alive, so I decided to go out and ended up at a bookstore. I went to the magazine section first, then to the foreign books, but somehow I ended up making my only purchase from the aisle assigned to pet books. I still arrived early, so I had to wait for Aiba-chan, but I didn't mind. The moment I saw him waving at me, wearing his bright smile, I forgot about everything else.  
  
"Hello", he said. "I'm sorry I'm a few minutes late, I know you don't like to wait"  
  
"It's okay", I replied with a smile.  
  
"I needed to look for a place to leave Shiro, because I was afraid he would destroy my house while I was away"  
  
I laughed.  
  
"You need to teach him some manners"  
  
"He's very young"  
  
"Yeah, but you need to start teaching him as soon as possible", I said as we started walking toward the pet shop. "If he gets bad habits, it will be hard to correct him in the future"  
  
"You know a lot about dogs, Jun!", he exclaimed.  
  
"Not at all, I just couldn't sleep last night, so I read a couple of things on the Internet"  
  
"I do that all the time too. When I can't sleep, I browse random sites, though, sometimes I end up in the strangest places"  
  
"That doesn't surprise me at all, coming from you", I chuckled.  
  
"I should be more careful", he chuckled with me. "But why couldn't you sleep last night? Is there something that has you worried?"  
  
My heart jumped inside my chest.  
  
That was an unexpected question. I couldn't tell him the truth, but lying wasn't my strong point. I would get nervous and he would notice my strange behavior, and then I would be trapped down a dead-end street. I knew Aiba-chan wouldn't stop asking questions until he knew the truth, and I didn't feel confident enough to confess yet, so I decided to distract his attention from the topic by taking one of the books out of the bag I was carrying.  
  
"I bought this for you", I said, handing it to him. "I saw it in the bookstore, and thought it might be useful"  
  
Aiba-chan blinked and took the book, reading the title.  
  
"Oh! A book about raising puppies!", he looked at me with a smile. "Thank you so much! You didn't have to buy me anything"  
  
"I know you're going spoil him", I chuckled. "So I thought you could use a little help"  
  
"It's my first time raising a puppy by myself, without the help of my family, so I think I could use some extra advice"  
  
I handed him the bag.  
  
"There are three books other in there. To feed him properly, to exercise him, and one to help you understand the dog world, so you know how he thinks"  
  
His eyes widened as he opened the bag.  
  
"Jun, this is... I'm speechless..."  
  
"You don't have to say anything. Just make sure that Shiro-kun is happy"  
  
"I will", he nodded.  
  
It would be easy for Aiba-chan to make him happy. He just needed to be himself.  
  
When we reached the pet shop, my friend went straight to the outfits section. For a moment I thought he wanted to look for the panda outfit, but soon I found out he was checking the raincoats.  
  
"Looking for anything in particular?", I asked.  
  
"I just want to buy him a raincoat, so he doesn't get soaked when it's raining"  
  
I smiled.  
  
"You really love him already, don't you?"  
  
"How could I not? He's adorable, and he was abandoned in such a cruel way. He needs lots of love, more than a normal dog"  
  
"Oh! So he isn't a normal dog?", I chuckled.  
  
"He's a survivor dog"  
  
"The dog that survived the rain, right?"  
  
"The dog that survived human cruelty"  
  
He was the one who was adorable, not the dog.  
  
We spent a large part of the afternoon around the shop, checking out all kind of things. In the end, Aiba-chan bought two raincoats, several toys, two bowls, a bed, a dog carrier, and a couple of blankets for the bed. When I asked him about the dog carrier, he said he was planning to take him with us when we were on tour. I didn't think he would be allowed to do it, but I didn't have the chance to say anything about it because he suddenly gasped, and ran to the end of the shop. I followed him with my eyes and saw how he left his basket on the floor to reach inside a glass cage, and took a kitten out of it.  
  
"You're so cute!", he exclaimed, holding the cat above his head, staring at him with sparkling eyes.  
  
"You like cats too?", I asked, approaching him.  
  
"I love all kind of animals", he said. "Well, except the big ones, like lions. They scare me"  
  
"I know, I know", I chuckled.  
  
I have never been good with kittens or with animals in general. I never know how they're going to act and that kind of disturbs me, but seeing how excited Aiba-chan was about the kittens, I figured I could try and hold one myself. He watched with surprise as I reached out and took a gray and white kitten that stared up at me with his big blue eyes. I held it in front of me first, then I tried to hold it close to my chest, but I guess the animal was too scared, so it dug his nails into my clothes, reaching my sensitive skin.  
  
"So cute~", I crooned with a smile, trying to pretend it didn't hurt.  
  
I thought you didn't like animals very much"  
  
"Oh no, it isn't like that at all. It's just that I don't really have the time to take care of pets"  
  
"You should get a kitten!", he exclaimed. "Now that I've seen you with one, you really suit one another. Even your eyes look alike"  
  
"Eh?", I blinked and looked down at the cat.  
  
"I've always thought you were a cat in your previous life"  
  
"Really?", I frowned as the cat kept scratching at my skin.  
  
Seeing the look on my face, Aiba-chan noticed what was going on.  
  
"You don't have to like animals, Jun. It's okay", he said, with a warm smile on his face. "I love them, but I understand that not everyone is the same, so you don't have to push yourself like that"  
  
" _Gomen_ ", I said, feeling embarrassed.  
  
I liked digging my nails into other people's skin, but in a very different way, so I could confirm that cats and I weren't meant to be. When I managed to pull the kitten off of my cardigan, I put it back in its place. It meowed at me, as if he were protesting my abandoning him there, but I knew for sure that adopting an animal was not in my foreseeable future. Aiba-chan went and paid for Shiro's stuff and when we left the shop, I looked at my cardigan, which had been severely damaged by the kitten's small but sharp claws, and sighed. My friend gently patted my shoulder.  
  
"Did you like that jacket a lot?", he asked.  
  
"I think I'll be able to live without it"  
  
Aiba-chan smiled.  
  
"You know, everyone likes your cool side, but I like this side of you as well"  
  
"You mean when I embarrass myself?"  
  
"I mean when you try so hard for others. It shows how generous and gentle you are, and it makes me feel like one of the luckiest people in the world"  
  
I stared at him for a moment, and ended up smiling.  
  
"Can I treat you to dinner?", I asked. "To make up for my attempted lie"  
  
"You don't really need to make up for anything", he replied. "But I would love to have dinner with you"  
  
My heart was going to explode, and so said the wide smile on my face.  
  
"Let's stop at my place for a minute though", I said. "I need to change my cardigan"  
  
He chuckled and nodded.  
  
After the brief stop to change my clothes and drop off Shiro's stuff, I took Aiba-chan to one of my favorite restaurants. I changed my mind after the incident in the pet shop and instead of a fancy restaurant where he'd probably feel uncomfortable, I took him to a small familiar restaurant that I really liked.  
  
Even though the afternoon hadn't started out that well, the night turned out perfect. We remembered the old times while we ate delicious homemade food, between laughs and a few flirting glances as well, at least on my end. Then we stopped at my place again to pick up the bags with Shiro's things, and I drove him home.  
  
On my way back home, I couldn't stop smiling.  
  
Could I be any luckier?


	5. Day Four

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to my dear [](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/profile)[**furokugal**](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/) for checking and correcting this text for me. I suck at expressing myself in english ^^;;

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

I was ecstatic when I got home that night.  
  
My day with Aiba-chan could not have been better. I had a few scratches on my chest thanks to the kitten I tried to hold to impress him, but it didn't matter. I was so pleased with the result of our date that I couldn't think about anything else, even when the little scratches were rather sore and itchy.  
  
It was close to midnight already, since we had been chatting for a long time while having dinner and after it, but I didn't feel sleepy at all. I was so full of energy that I just couldn't go to bed. We had to catch a plane early the next morning because we were heading to the first city of our concert tour, so I knew I had to rest or next day would be hellish, but I couldn't. I then remembered that I hadn't watched the latest episodes of our variety shows. I always watched them at home and took notes on how we could improve things, so I figured it would be a good chance to do some work, while at the same time it helped me feel sleepy.  
  
I started by watching VS Arashi, since it was the show I was more behind with. I took the notebook I always use for work and laid down on the couch, ready to review the contents and take notes to discuss later on with the guys. The show was funny, so I found myself laughing several times, even when I knew most of the stuff there was scripted, but then I saw something I didn't even remember about, and the smile on my face faded away. The screen was showing a scene with Aiba-chan and Sho kissing. I could feel my heart racing inside my chest and my eyebrows furrowing as I watched Aiba-chan leaning in, and Sho happily kissing him back. Was it me or was Sho more into the kiss than Aiba-chan? Although I doubt Aiba-chan wasn't happy about it. That kiss hadn't been scripted, they had done it because they wanted to do it, so I couldn't fool myself into thinking it had been entirely Sho's fault. Aiba-chan had participated too, when no one had asked him to.  
  
I sighed in frustration, and turned off the TV as I left my notebook on the table.  
  
I was so jealous that I wanted hit something, or someone. My heart was still racing and I was breathing heavily as I stood up and went to the kitchen. I tried to prepare something to drink for myself, like a coffee or tea, but I was so angry that my hands were shaking, so I became frustrated with my own uselessness that I just wound up leaving the house. I didn't go very far though. I walked to a nearby coffee shop to have the cup of coffee I hadn't been able to prepare at home, while I smoked half of my pack of cigarettes.  
  
No matter what I did or say, no matter how hard I tried or how much I went out of my usual behavior, nothing worked. In Aiba-chan's eyes, Sho was better looking than me, more elegant than me, a true gentleman, a prince on a white horse, and I couldn't compete against that. I was far from being anything remotely close to a prince. I was just an average guy, with my annoying little habits, a moody personality, an obsession with being independent, and an irrational fear of loneliness. It was only natural that Aiba-chan preferred a guy like Sho, who could be indecisive at times, but was definitely someone who could protect him, someone he could rely on. I was just an insecure man, who couldn't protect anyone.  
  
I went back home when the coffee shop closed, and fell asleep almost immediately. I guess I was exhausted from all the tension I'd built up over the last few hours, and the rollercoaster of emotions I'd experienced in just one day had affected me. The next day, however, I was in an extremely bad mood. Everything irritated me, even the tiniest littlest things, so I knew it wouldn't be a good day to travel with the guys, but I still had to do it anyway.  
  
I tried to isolate myself from the start. I greeted them as usual, and then put my headphones on, so that they wouldn't speak to me. Aiba-chan tried to make conversation a couple of times and Nino wouldn't stop looking at me out of the corner of his eye, but I ignored the two of them. I gave brief replies to Aiba-chan, so that he couldn't continue talking to me, and I pretended not to notice Nino's eyes on me. On the plane, Nino sat down next to me on purpose, and watched me for more than twenty minutes, which made me feel incredibly uncomfortable, but I still pretended like I had fallen asleep since the very first second I'd sat down.  
  
"Can you stop pretending you're asleep?", he said after a while.  
  
I didn't reply.  
  
"You're pathetic", he insisted.  
  
"Can you shut up?", I replied, my eyes still closed. "I'm trying to rest"  
  
"When are you going to face reality?"  
  
I opened my eyes and gave him a look.  
  
"So what’s reality, according to you?"  
  
"You're jealous"  
  
I raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh, yeah?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Of who?"  
  
"Sho"  
  
I snorted.  
  
"And Aiba-chan", he said.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous"  
  
"You can keep on fooling yourself", Nino shrugged. "But I see the way you glare at Sho when he's around Aiba-chan, and I know you met Aiba-chan yesterday"  
  
My eyes widened.  
  
"What?!"  
  
How did he know? Damned Nino always knew everything, and always had to be right, and I hated him for it. He and his out-of-this-world brain always had to be watching us, noticing every single thing that happened to the members of the group.  
  
He smirked.  
  
I looked around and lowered my voice, to make sure the others didn't hear me.  
  
"How do you know?", I asked him. "Did he tell you?"  
  
"No one told me", he said. "Watching you these past few days, I figured you would try to meet him sooner or later, and yesterday was the perfect opportunity, since both of you had a free day"  
  
I gave myself an inner face palm.  
  
Sometimes Nino didn't realize it, but he was too smart for his own good.  
  
"It isn't what you think ", I snorted, lying back in my seat again.  
  
"I'm not thinking anything"  
  
The mocking smile on his face told me he was lying.  
  
"Sure", I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Did you have a lovey dovey date?", he crooned.  
  
I blushed and frowned.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Where did you take him? Did he sleep at your place?"  
  
"We went to a pet shop, then we had dinner, and I drove him home"  
  
"Pet shop?", Nino blinked.  
  
I nodded.  
  
"The one in my neighborhood"  
  
My friend cracked up, so I frowned again.  
  
"I don't know why I bother telling you anything"  
  
I shifted in my seat, so that my back was facing Nino, and closed my eyes. Nino tried to poke me a couple of times to catch my attention, but I already felt bad enough. I didn't need his jokes and teasing. He was making me feel worse, though he probably didn't realize it.  
  
When we reached the airport, I hadn't been able to rest. Nino had given up on teasing me and had switched to the seat next to Ohno at some point, but the thoughts in my head were running like crazy, so I couldn't sleep at all. I was dying to reach the hotel and take a nice, long shower to try to relax a little, but once we got there and I discovered that Aiba-chan and Sho were sharing a room, I grew even angrier. Months before, I would've been happy to have a room all to myself, since Nino and Ohno were sharing their room too, but with the current situation being what it was, it was the worst case scenario. I had only two days left to make Aiba-chan mine and I hadn't made any major progress during the previous days, so the last thing I needed was Sho getting the perfect chance to finally claim victory.  
  
We spent almost the whole day rehearsing, which allowed me to distract myself a little. I still couldn't help giving looks to Sho, especially when he was near Aiba-chan, but work is always my first priority, so I tried not to let my personal life bother me while we were trying to have the finishing touches ready for the next day. Once rehearsal was over, Sho was the first to leave, saying he wanted to go somewhere to buy some omiyage for his family, and Nino and Ohno decided to take a shower together. All of us knew what that meant, so neither Aiba-chan nor me wanted to go into the showers while the two lovebirds were in there.  
  
Fortunately, I had brought the script of my movie with me, so I decided to run through my lines. Not only was it a good way to make the most of the time I had to spend waiting to use the showers, but it also gave me an excuse to avoid talking to Aiba-chan. I knew I would get upset again if he tried to approach me, and I probably wouldn't be very friendly to him. The only problem was that I couldn't focus. Aiba-chan was checking out the costumes for his solo, still trying to decide what to wear despite the concert being the next day, and when I realized it, I was following him around the room with my eyes, the image of his kiss with Sho fresh in my mind. The more I thought about it, the more jealous I became, until it reached the point where I couldn't stand it anymore. I couldn't be quiet any longer, not when I was burning inside.  
  
I closed my script and sighed.  
  
"Aiba-chan", I said in a weak voice.  
  
He turned around and looked me, holding two shirts he was checking.  
  
"What is it?", he smiled.  
  
"Can we talk for a minute?"  
  
"Sure", he replied, looking at the shirts he was holding. "Which one do you like best?"  
  
I stood up, took both shirts out of his hands, and placed them on the table beside us.  
  
"I need to ask you something", I said, staring at him.  
  
"You know you can ask me anything"  
  
Aiba-chan grabbed a jacket, but I took that from him too, and placed it over the shirts.  
  
"This is important", I insisted.  
  
He looked at me, frowning, and stopped checking through the clothes.  
  
"What's wrong?", he asked with a worried expression.  
  
"I saw you kissing Sho yesterday"  
  
"What?!", his eyes widened. "I didn't ki-"  
  
"On TV", I interrupted him. "VS Arashi, one that aired a few weeks ago"  
  
"Oh!", he chuckled, clearly relieved. "That was pretty funny, right?"  
  
I didn't laugh, and shook my head.  
  
"It wasn't funny to me"  
  
"Eh? Why?", Aiba-chan blinked. "I know you like to watch and analyze our shows at home, but were we that bad? "  
  
"Did you like it?"  
  
He stared at me for a while.  
  
"The kiss", I insisted. "Did you like it?"  
  
Aiba-chan chuckled and blushed slightly.  
  
"I don't know. It was very quick"  
  
"Is Sho better than me?"  
  
"What?!", his eyes widened again.  
  
"Do you like him more than me? Should I just give up?"  
  
"What are you talking about, Jun? I don't understand you today", he pouted. "You didn't want to talk to me in Tokyo, I could feel it, and now you're acting like this"  
  
I placed my arm around his waist and pulled him close, shutting his mouth with a kiss.  
  
I am never like that. I wouldn't have kissed him so suddenly if the circumstances had been different, but I was running out of time. And I was jealous. And he was so close, his lips pouting, calling out to me, begging me to kiss them. And so I did. I captured them with my own in a rough movement, holding his waist tight enough to make sure he couldn't move away. I could feel his hands on my chest, grabbing at my shirt to pull me even closer, which made me smirk, and I let my tongue find its way inside his mouth, deepening our kiss, making it wet and hot enough for him to moan into it.  
  
"We should make time for this more often", Nino's voice came from the hallway.  
  
"Yeah, it's a pity. We hardly have time to play in the showers anymore"  
  
Ohno's reply came from the hall as well, though it sounded closer than Nino's, so I could tell they were approaching the dressing room. I broke the kiss and looked at Aiba-chan, whose expression read surprised, embarrassed, and puzzled, all at the same time.  
  
"Sorry...", I whispered, as I felt embarrassed myself.  
  
I quickly let go of him, my heart racing inside my chest, and went back to my script as my two bandmates opened the door and entered the room.   
  
I couldn't believe what I had just done.  
  
I looked over at Aiba-chan from of the corner of my eye, acting as though I was immersed in my script, and saw the bright shade of red on his cheeks as he tried to ignore his embarrassment at the moment, and went back to looking through his clothes.  
  
I touched my lips, hiding my face behind my script.  
  
I had kissed him.  
  
I had kissed Aiba-chan.


	6. Day Five

**Author:** [](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/profile)[**arimi_skywalker**](http://arimi-skywalker.livejournal.com/) ([sutekihanashi](https://twitter.com/sutekihanashi))  
Disclaimer: fanFICTION (extra emphasis on the fiction). None of this is based in anything even resembling fact except for, like, their names. Do not know, don't presume to know. Not owning. Not meant to offend. Just fangirling.  
A/N: Thanks to my dear [](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/profile)[**furokugal**](http://furokugal.livejournal.com/) for checking and correcting this text for me. I suck at expressing myself in english ^^;;

_If you like this, you're welcome to check out my other fics :)_

 

 

I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling.  
  
We had a concert the next day, so I should've been sleeping, especially after not getting much rest the past few days, but once again I couldn't. Since Sho had set the deadline four days ago, I had been nervous and uneasy. I felt pressured, stressed, rushed, and I never worked well under those conditions. The proof of that was how I ended up becoming irrationally jealous of Sho and then forcefully kissing Aiba-chan. And now I couldn't stop thinking about it.  
  
That's why I couldn't sleep.  
  
It wasn't my nerves, the stress, or concern over Sho's quickly approaching deadline. It was the feeling that kiss left in me. On one hand, I was happy because I had finally kissed Aiba-chan, after so many years of silence and secretly loving him, however, the manner in which I had gone about getting that kiss hadn't been the best, so I was certain he thought I was the worst now. Really, what kind of guy goes around abruptly kissing his band mates when he's left alone with them in their dressing room? Not to mention all the stuff I’d said to him about preferring Sho over me, and their kiss on VS Arashi, as if I had any right to be jealous or act possessive. Most likely, Aiba-chan was mad at me, and wouldn't want to speak to me for months.  
  
That evening, after Ohno and Nino interrupted our kiss, we had been acting weird around each other. We didn't want to be left alone together, and we sat as far as possible from each other during dinner. I could feel Aiba-chan's eyes on me every now and then, but when I looked at him, he would immediately look away. I had never seen him act like that before, but I knew it was entirely my fault, so I didn't really have a right to complain. I should've listened to Nino's advice and controlled myself a little more, but it was so difficult. It was incredibly frustrating to lose Aiba-chan right in front of my eyes.  
  
I sighed and shifted in bed, lying on my side and resting my head on my arm. I had left the curtains open, so I could see the clear night sky outside, with a million stars shining up above, and a big round moon claiming her reign among the darkness. It was a beautiful sight, one that I would've loved to have shared with Aiba-chan, but he was probably watching it with Sho, or maybe they were missing it because they were too busy kissing each other.  
  
I frowned at my own thoughts, and was about to turn over so my back was to the window, when a knock at my door distracted me. I turned the lights on, and yawned as I got up. When I reached the door, I took a quick glance at the clock on the bedside table and saw it was almost one in the morning, so I decided not to open until I knew who was on the other side.  
  
"Who is it?", I asked.  
  
"It's Aiba-chan"  
  
My heart jumped inside my chest.  
  
I immediately opened the door to see that it was true. It was Aiba-chan, and he was standing there, with his head lowered, looking gloomy. I sighed and scratched at the nape of my neck as I looked back inside the room. I wasn't expecting him, so I hadn't bothered to tidy things up.  
  
"Sorry, I know it's late", he said, still staring at his feet. "Nino said you'd probably still be awake, and... well... I wanted to talk to you"  
  
I stared at him when I heard his words.  
  
"I wasn't sleeping", I replied. "Come on in"  
  
He nodded and entered the room, without looking up.  
  
I closed the door behind him and walked into the room, offering him a seat on my bed. He sat down on the edge while I used the couch across from it, where I sat in silence for a long while, waiting for him to speak. He wouldn't say a word though, so I sighed and stood up, walking over to the bed to sit down next to him.  
  
"Is it about this afternoon?", I asked.  
  
He shook his head.  
  
"No, it's...", he sighed. "Yeah, it's about this afternoon"  
  
I sighed with him.  
  
"I'm sorry about that"  
  
"You don't have to apologize", he said, looking at me. "But I'm worried. You've been acting weird all day, really moody and avoiding me especially. Did I do something? We were fine just yesterday"  
  
"No, you didn't do anything. I'm just tired today and kind of nervous about the concert"  
  
Aiba-chan stared at me in silence.  
  
"Are you sure? I mean, it isn't like you to act the way you did this afternoon, and...", he blushed. "You know, do what you did, so suddenly"  
  
I could just continue lying to him, and making excuses about being nervous or tired, but I knew it wasn't right. Aiba-chan was the person I was in love with, and he had been my friend for a long time. It wasn't fair to lie to him. If he didn't love me as more than a friend, I wouldn't be able to change that in just one day, so I decided it was time to be honest with him, and with myself.  
  
"You're right", I sighed again. "There is something else"  
  
The expression on his face became worried.  
  
"I knew it", he said. "I'm not the most observant person, but I know you, Jun. I knew something was bothering you. Is there some way I can help you?"  
  
I slowly shook my head.  
  
"I don't know how to start this", I replied, with another sigh. "Do you remember the first day we shot P•A•R•A•D•O•X? When you complained about not having a tie?"  
  
Aiba-chan nodded.  
  
"I didn't know you had heard that conversation. You looked busy with your script"  
  
"I was pretending"  
  
"Pretending? Why?", now he sounded confused.  
  
"Remember when I took your juice away from you?"  
  
"Yeah, you were thinking about what was best for the group, as usual", he smiled.  
  
"And you were being you, innocent and carefree, and took your clothes off right in front of me, totally oblivious of my eyes on you"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I was staring at you while you changed your clothes", I could feel my cheeks burning. "I don't want to sound creepy. I just couldn't help it"  
  
"W-what are you saying?"  
  
His cheeks turned a bright shade of red, mine probably looked the same.  
  
"I'm sorry, Aiba-chan. I know this is going to make things awkward between us, but... the kiss I gave you today wasn't just some sudden urge... I was jealous because of the kiss you and Sho shared, in front of everyone, and I wanted to kiss you too... because... I don't want to lose you..."  
  
"Lose me?", he sounded confused again. "Why would you lose me, Jun? I kissed Sho on TV for the sake of the show, and it was fun, but that doesn't mean I like him more than you. You're my friend. I love you a lot, you should already know that"  
  
He didn't understand. I had to be more straightforward.  
  
"Sho set a deadline. When we were shooting P•A•R•A•D•O•X"  
  
"A deadline? For what?"  
  
I looked him right in the eyes.  
  
"He said I had five days to win you over, or you would be his"  
  
"WHAT?!", Aiba-chan's eyes widened.  
  
"But I'm at my wit's end. We've been friends forever, and I don't want to mess up our friendship because of my stupid feelings. I tried thinking up a plan, and it progressed fairly of well until today, but I got jealous of Sho and... I just couldn't control myself and kissed you..."  
  
"Wait! I-I... Wait, wait, wait... What are you trying to say, Jun?", his expression was bewildered. "You and Sho... I-I... You and Sho were having a competition to get me?"  
  
"I know it's ridiculous! That's what I told him", I snorted.  
  
"I just... I..."  
  
"You're mad, and you don't want to speak to me ever again. I know", I sighed.  
  
Aiba-chan stared at me for a long while, or it might not have been that long, but it felt like forever because the nerves in my stomach were killing me. I looked down at my hands. I was beginning to feel sick, and the nape of my neck was covered in sweat, but then I felt Aiba-chan's hand on my cheek. I looked up and blinked at him. He had a warm smile on his face, as he leaned in and placed his lips on mine.  
  
I was so surprised that I couldn't move at first, but then I realized I was in my room, with Aiba-chan, and he was kissing me, so I took his face in my hands as I turned a little, to kiss him back better. It was a slow and sweet kiss, very different from the one we had shared that afternoon in the dressing room, and definitely longer than the one he had shared with Sho. When we broke the kiss, he looked at me, with a smile still on his lips.  
  
"I'm not mad", he said. "Now I understand the reason for your weird behavior these past few days, so I'm relieved. You really had me worried, you know"  
  
"You just kissed me, right?"  
  
"Right"  
  
"I wasn't dreaming?"  
  
Aiba-chan chuckled.  
  
"No, you weren't dreaming"  
  
"Good, because I'm about to kiss you again, and I don't want to be slapped"  
  
He grabbed the top of my pajamas and pulled me closer.  
  
"Just do it...", he whispered.  
  
I smirked, and leaned in to slowly bite at his lower lip as I pushed him back on the bed. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me down with him, and soon both of us melted into a hot, wet kiss that sent shivers down my spine. I had dreamt about that moment for so long that I couldn't believe it was actually happening. Aiba-chan was in my bed, kissing me back just as hungrily as I was kissing him, and moaning when I instinctively started rolling my hips against his crotch.  
  
"You know", I breathed in between kisses. "I had a plan for each of the five days Sho gave, and tomorrow's plan was to bed you"  
  
"Well, it's past midnight, so technically, it's already tomorrow"  
  
"I can go ahead with my plan then"  
  
He nodded, showing me a sheepish smile.  
  
"Go ahead"  
  
We helped to rid one another of our clothes. It's one of the parts I love the most about sex, undressing the other person and discovering their body little by little, but with Aiba-chan it was even more special. I had seen him naked a countless number of times; in the shower, the dressing room, backstage at concerts, but this time, he was naked in my room, twisting and trembling under my touch. I could finally kiss every inch of that birthmark on his shoulder, along with every other part of his body, and I grew more and more eager, unable to wait any longer to make him mine.  
  
After the passion had subsided, the two of us laid exhausted in my bed, trying to catch our breaths. I was smiling, happy and proud of myself, still wondering if it all had been real, but then I felt Aiba-chan moving closer and snuggling against me while he kissed my shoulder, and I knew it had really happened. It was so real that it overwhelmed me.  
  
"Jun", he quietly said. "This was... more than just sex... right?"  
  
I looked down at him.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Aiba-chan looked up at me and was silent for a moment.  
  
"I like you", he finally replied.  
  
I blinked at first because I wasn't expecting his sudden confession, but then, as I leaned in to kiss his forehead, I couldn't help smiling. He was too precious. The most beautiful and purest being on earth. And he was mine.  
  
"I wouldn't risk our friendship for a one-night stand. I did this because I want you for myself"  
  
He smiled and cuddled again against me.  
  
"I can't believe you want to be with me", he said. "I feel so lucky"  
  
"I'm the one who is lucky...", I whispered.  
  
I stroked his hair, and could feel his relaxed breathing until he ended up falling asleep. I eventually fell asleep as well, finally having a night of peaceful rest after so many days full of anxiety and nerves.  
  
The next morning, I woke up before Aiba-chan, and saw that I had an e-mail from Sho.  
  
  
 _"I saw Aiba-chan entering your room last night._  
  
 _Congratulations. You did well"_  
  
  
I looked down at the man resting on my chest, and smiled.  
  
It hadn't been a dream. It was real.  
  
He was mine.


End file.
